Review Empire Asian Restaurant - Cape Town Central

Food is good, we ordered Tofu, mixed vegetable and bamboo shoot.

Love it. The waitress was supper friendly and helpful. She gave us a run down of the specials and made some recommendations. The service was top notch and the food arrived quickly. The portions was a good size and the fish was fresh. I can definitely recommend it here. The tables was also spotless and overall the restaurant was emaculately clean. We will be back and bring our friends.

This was an amazing dinner date , the waiter was friendly , the place was romantic and the candle lit was perfect. I really enjoyed the dumplings they were everything, I also tasted the Sake lol it was a taste I don’t think I can ever get used to but it was amazing to try something different then what I’m used to, if you want the best Chinese food in anchors bay /sea point check this place out !

I have been eating at this restaurant for a couple of years now ,and never seem to dissipiont ,I'm always happy with the outcome ,the food is absolutely amazing 😋🤤🙌🏼 this is the place to eat ,it's fresh and the best 💯🙂

One of my favorite husy sushi spots Always fresh and delicious and still reasonably priced. Happy staff. Service can be slow for takeaways, so call first and sit down is good. Simba is my favorite waiter.

I felt that we got what we expected here, which was basic, good Chinese food. I can't speak on the sushi as we didn't order that. I had the "lychee flavored pork" but to me, it was hard to taste anything lychee about it and if you had told me it was sweet and sour pork I would have said "yes". But I love sweet n sour pork anyway so I enjoyed it. I did ask my waitress but her English was not great so I have no idea if she understood what I was asking. My husband ordered the crispy beef silk chili, and unfortunately it also came with a sweet n sour sauce but on the side. Luckily the sauce was on the side as my husband hates that sauce. However without sauce he felt his beef was a bit dry. And again, because the waitress was so hard to communicate with, he didn't bother asking if he could get another sauce. The portions were huge! Great value for money. Chinese people were eating there so the food must be authentic. The biggest complaint is that there are no explanations on the menu of what the dishes are, and with the waitress not being any help we felt a bit in the dark. But she was friendly and efficient. Go there if you are familiar with Asian food or want to try authentic street side cafe Asian food.

Excellent meal. Great and friendly service. Sushi of a high standard and good quality.

They have a good verity of sushi with a good mix of platters. They have been around for years and have always served good sushi and it's totally worth the wait as everything is prepared fresh. Some of the tables are too high for the seats which can be uncomfortable for shorter individuals. Bookings are accepted but not essential. Parking is limited on the street and the place is wheelchair accessible.

Have been here many times over the years & the sushi was always lovely. My favourite is Platter A. Never been disappointed. The younger members of the family have brought many friends here over the years and all enjoyed the sushi, which is not smothered in mayonaisse & sauces which seems to be the in thing in many sushi restaurants.

This place has a nice ambience. The staff was very polite and friendly. The food was amazing. Lots of vegetarian options. My daughter loved the sweet and sour pork.

All round very tasty food, some better than others: delicious sweet and sour pork, good chicken chop suey, nondescript 'sizzling chicken'. Nice table layout, glad it wasn't busy. Good value.

Sushi was good. Service was good and quick.

Great food. Pleasant setting. Good service

Great experience with delicious food and acceptable price.😋

Wonderful experience. Food was well proportioned and flavourful.

I had miso soup as a starter and then sushi everything was great. Very affordable almost like in Thailand prices.<br/>Cozy and comfortable Asian restaurant!

They serve okay Chinese food, and amazing sushi buffet special if you are a sushi lover.<br/><br/>However, interior is bad. It just looks unclean. This place can be really busy cause of the Chinese tourist group that comes regularly. The service is so-so, they just give you what you want.

This Chinese restaurant is definitely popular with the local Chinese community, on our visit we saw Chinese tour groups coming to dine, this must indicate it is AUTHENTIC Chinese as well as delicious I might add.  I had salmon roses to start, which tasted fresh and sizzling tofu stir fry for mains. It was very yummy!

Wasn’t sure about this restaurant as I like going to places which are recommended to me by friends. Vibe of the restaurant was okay, owners and waitresses were cheerful and helpful. We ordered the beef with black bean sauce, chicken noodles, and a prawn fried rice. I would definitely recommend the prawn fried rice. The noodles were ok, I’ve tasted better chow mein, and the beef was also average. <br/><br/>Maybe the other items on the menu taste better, should probably ask what their best seller meals are.

Very delicious Chinese food and their sushi was amazing. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻Their price was really cheap compare to other restaurants. The staff was very nice and friendly, the environment was lovely and green plant everywhere which makes one very comfortable.

Fantastic little authentic Asian restaurant with great service and really wonderful food. Tasty and fast. Great option. And the best if all it is really REALLY cheap. Fresh sushi on platters. Did I mention it was really good value for money.

Got the "B" sushi platter and fully enjoyed. <br/>Place might look a bit old fashioned but it looked clean and that's the most important. Price and quality ratio is perfect. Will come back!<br/>

We've just had our worst Chinese meal ever. Spring rolls which were tiny and lacking in filling and a very thick batter. Sweet and sour pork which was a pea size piece of pork with a golf sized ball of dough, not batter around it. Completely tasteless and the meat was very tough. Prawn noodles were very sparse on the prawns and extremely average tasting. My first and last visit to this restaurant.<br/>

Even though the seared tuna salad is on the all you can eat sushi menu it often is "finished". The service has been good in the past but even though I'm a regular today it's surly and really really bad. Like I'm doing staff a favor. Seriously? Dont bother coming here they don't appreciate their customers.

After building up a considerable degree of excitement for Chinese prawn and beef dishes respectively, we were outraged when, after ordering our food, the waitress returned to say, 'we aren't serving Chinese food tonight.' Apparently the kitchen was busy, although the place wasn't full. And only sushi was on offer. Our immediate response was a horrified 'you're a Chinese restaurant!' We left and I won't be going back for more of that sort of nonsense any time soon.

This is a great place for really good sushi! While the restaurant itself could use some work, as could the service, I bring friends and family here to try it out nonetheless.

Something about this place I just love. It looks like a place where mobsters hang out. But their Sushi is so good, their buffet is legit and the staff make you feel at home. So if you aren't up your own ass about decor. Go have fun.

Decently priced, average, everyday sushi and Chinese food.<br/>Good value for money, lots of options from the traditional sushi to some experimental. It is freely made so takes a while when the place is full. They have a very average drinks menu with wines and beer, local and asian options.

I really enjoyed the Sushi here.. We wanted to try something different The Sushi was fresh and really tasty.. We did the all you can eat option where you start off with a platter of your choice to share with the table and then you can order as you like except they limit you on Salmon Roses and Sashimi but this is not uncommon at a sushi buffet. If your in the Sea Point area give then a try..

Was at Empire Asian with mates in Cape Town in January. We had the "all you can eat sushi" which to be honest is quite confusing. Other than that it really was a nice dinner.

Hidden gem for excellent quality sushi. Sushi is also cheap in comparison with other similar restaurants and also Empire Asia doesn't have the typical video of a sushi joint. They could hire friendlier waitresses though.

It is a rich menu , but my best meal  is platter B , good price good taste good portions ! place has that typical asian look , as well as the plants inside LoL they even not real !! so u are really in china , but for a reasonable prices i recommend this place to all

My boyfriend and I have been here countless times. Great food guaranteed! After living in SE Asia, this is the closest you'll get to the real deal!

Decent quality sushi at a very good price. The following platters were R199 each and tasted amazing.<br/>Will definitely be returning there soon.

This in one of my all time favourites for a quick meal. The menu offers variety to choose from. all meals are prepared quickly and tasty. Their sushi offers some of the best value for money in Sea Point.

Good sushi and friendly staff. Unfortunately there are most definitely better places if you're going for platters and they can't compare to active sushi for their all you can eat special as they limit your amount of sashimi and roses. I nice enough setting and parking is pretty easy to find if you go at the right time. Again, the sushi itself is good but not as good as others.

Tried this Chinese restaurant for the first time as it was recommended to me by a friend. This place is quite clean and has a food variety of meals for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The crispy tofu that we ordered was a good size and well spiced with not too much chilli. I would have liked to see Chinese ice tea as there is only Lipton available. Otherwise the food was average and the inari sushi was not as good as I hoped. If you are looking for Chinese cuisine there are a lot of places around like this from which to choose.

If you are looking for 'all you can eat sushi' then this is the place to go to! For just R119 you can get a selection of sushi, salads and miso soup.

I normally love the food from here, however the last time that I went there was very disappointing. I was completely let down and made me feel sick. It almost tasted dirty or muddy, but times before it has been very good maybe I was just served a bad batch this time. Please try and maintain a standard, that way you will maintain customers

How kitsch cool is this place! Authentic chinese, thai and sushi. May seem like a jack-of-all trades effort but it all seems to be done really well. Prices are reasonable, especially the all you can eat sushi for R129. The platters are R120 which were big enough to share with an extra Chinese spring roll or two. The chow mein was tasty as well. It's no 5-star dining but fun for a different night out.

Tammy Lambson best Asian spot in Cape town. My girlfriend and I often eat here. It is like a throwback to her times living in Asia. Everything about this place speaks Asian. I just wish they did home delivery :) I'm going to collect mine tonight <br/>

I really love this place. The sushi is good and affordable. We always do the all you can eat sushi and are never disappointed. Sure, we've had a few wrong orders, but even the unexpected orders taste amazing. Will definitely recommend it.

Very impressed with this little spot. The tame away sushi is always so fresh and beautifully presented . The take away platters are also great to share. Have been twice and both times was left wanting to go back . definitly my favourite little take away sushi spot at the moment

Everyone seems hung up on the decor which I find endearing with a kitschness that is unto itself. I've had the sushi and I've had takeaway dishes without any qualms. It's not the best food but it's not the worst - it's the kind of food you should get when you feel like fresh sushi or you desperately want sweet and sour pork and on a moderate budget.

We love Empire Asian. While it isn't as trendy as some other sushi places in Cape Town, it has character, as well as excellent sushi. The staff are warm and it seems to be family run. The all you can eat option is excellent and includes a great variety of rolls as well as salads and miso soup. You don't need to book and it is rarely full, so you don't feel rushed. This means that you can take your time eating as much sushi as you can. They also have a corkage fee of only R25, which is a steal. Check out our extensive review on our blog (link in our profile)!

I have mixed emotions about this restaurant. The only reason I got there is because of the incredibly fresh sushi special they have for R119. They bring a platter to share and this platter is quite delicious, then after you are allowed to order more from a small selection of sushi, ok it's not the best sushi is town but it's definitely not the worse ! They have great platters for great prices. The downfall is the super old Chinese decor where you feel like you on a terrible old Chinese movie surrounded by Chinese mafia ( Yes I said it ) . Anyways I have never ever been hateful of anyone but those waitress there, my god ! There are awful ! No smiles, very unfriendly, makes you feel uncomfortable and on borderline of a mean attitude ! Great to go for the special once in a while otherwise I would advice to order for take aways ! <br/>

A bit of me is worried about posting this review.<br/>Im not sure if there was a gangster vibe to who was dining here, or it was just me....but either way.  I like it here.<br/><br/>firstly. the food is really quite good.<br/>is it the best?  no.<br/>its it average?  no.<br/><br/>what is is however is exceptional value for money.<br/>the waitresses (Zimbabwean ladies I think) are really kind and friendly.<br/>the place looks like a mix of bad design and poor decor choices..but it works just fine.<br/><br/>The Sushi platters are exceptional value by Cape Town standards. (I have chosen platter B on maybe ten occasions) <br/><br/>Tonight I had the more old fashioned Chinese meals of a simple Chow Mein..  And it was lovely...a generous mix of meats and veggies for  I think R53 or something.<br/><br/>Tempura prawns were as good as or if not better than Beluga restaurant and maybe a third of the price.it gets a lot of Chinese tourists here, they tend to sit at the back room that fortunately has a sound proof barrier between them and the regular diners.  They bring their own booze and they get rowdy.<br/><br/>They also sell a bunch of seafood that only the Chinese patrons buy. namely the Perlemoen.  I have never seen perlemoen for sale in a restaurant. Guess how much they cost? in the region of R2500 each.. EACH.<br/><br/>Dont go here for the decor, don't go here for a fancy date.<br/>Go here because you want value....lots and lots of value.<br/>(and very loud Chinese people)

Fantastic sushi restaurant! What they lack in decor, they definitely make up for in their quality of sushi. Each piece of sushi was perfectly made and super fresh. Their R119 buffet starts off with a set platter of sushi (about 20 pieces) and once you've finished that you can order as much as you like. This is such a great idea as it allows you to sample a bit of everything that they have on offer.

Quite little quaint place with pretty good asian food in a peaceful sitting with nice and neat deco. The empire roll is a must try. Very good service (if you get waiter named Brenton!), reasonably priced food.

The best hidden spot for amazing sushi of all you can eat for R119. Have been coming here for 2 years and it never disappoints and the sushi always tastes great. #HiddenGem

I like this Chinese restaurant. The food there reminds me a lot of the Chinese restaurants in my own country (which are very goodby the way). I have had the sizzling beef, the duck, fried rice and wonton soup. I also had a few of their stir fry (veggies, chicken and beef). All delicious and reasonable portions and affordable prices. I sat there for dinner a few times but there isn't much of a vibe and when it's packed then it's filled with Chinese tourists from tour buses. Nothing wrong with that, I myself am chinese :) Best to take away.

Affordable and fresh sushi. I had platter B and was amazed at how much quality sushi i got for only r109. Everything was fresh. Definitely go there again.

We often order sushi takeout from empire asian. The platters (we typically go for platter B and D) are great value for money. The sushi is always fresh and consistently good. Highly recommended for fast and efficient takeout.

The food is good and the service is okay! A lukewarm response this may be, but Empire neither wowed nor disappointed me. It satisfied a craving for Thai food, Chinese food and sushi all in one go and each member of our party was happy with their meal. Though it's safe to say we probably won't remember anything from it in particular (even as I type I struggle to remember what my greeny curry was like, but it escapes me).<br/>The decor is neat and nice, and everything seems clean and well looked after.

Food was good. Fresh sushi, nice variety for buffet as u get a platter first and can order more after. You are allowed a certain amount of salmon roses and sashimi<br/>. No vibe at all, very dull. Service was below average but not bad . I asked for a cooldrink as was brought the can only, after 15min. We had to wait again to get a glass and ice. Waitress added on her own tip. We explained that we would have given more and it was a bit rude to do so especially with us being only 2 adults and 1 child.

I believe that restaurants should be rated in relation to the image they portray of themselves (or what they pretend and don't pretend to be), as opposed to comparing a hole-in-the-wall, mom-and-pop joint with a fancy celebrity chef restaurant....after all, they're really not competing in the same league. Thus, I was initially tempted to give Empire a 4, but then decided on a 3.5 because I haven't eaten at a lot of their competitors in the Sea Point area. <br/>Anyhow, 5 of us dined at Empire recently and every single one of us enjoyed what we ate. Four of us had fried noodles and one had a sushi platter, so there wasn't a lot of range on the table, but we got exactly what we were in the mood for and the food delivered on taste, quality, and value. The service was friendly and courteous (although we wish we had been permitted to sit at the round family-style tables with the lazy susans; we were told they were reserved but even after a two hour meal we saw no one occupy any of them!). Also, three of us asked for "spicy"or "hot" food and there wasn't a lot of heat/spice in our food, so we had to supplement with extra chillies on the side, which they happily provided. <br/>The place is no-frills, and has no pretensions of being a special, hip restaurant. It promises value for money and tasty food, and it delivers those resoundingly. So I do recommend the spot if you're just in the mood for some good Chinese food and don't care at all about a memorable experience or ambiance etc.

Good quality sushi and value for money. Bring a big appetite! Love the staff!

Good budget sushi and excellent service. Atmosphere is a bit stiff but go with the right people and you won't notice the stiffness!